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Outdoor BBQ Grill - costs vs repairs + rants

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Ok so we have one of these fancy Stainless Steel built in natural gas BBQ grills. Probably about 10 years old. Its only a 24" model, so its not one of the giant size things. Cost was right about $1750.00 from some of the discount grill places. So its not cheap, but its not one of the $4000 grill units either.

One of the gas valves froze up a couple weeks ago. Both of the burner units are in rough shape and probably should be replaced. The 'grease anti-flare up' plates are original and could probably be replaced.

So I look up all the parts for my $1750 grill.

The valve is $49
The burner units are $55 each, 2 needed
The anti-flare plates are $50 each, 2 needed.

For under $300 I can replace all the internal stuff of this grill and get it going like new again.

So why the hell did it cost $1750 to buy one? Is the stainless steel body/hood worth THAT much money? Are the stainless steel cooking grates (which look remarkably like the oven grates inside our home) what makes it so expensive.

Oh, and the valve, had to be ordered separately from the other parts, so I paid $68 for the $49 valve when shipping (regular ground) was added. Yup, $68. The part is shorter than my index finger and weighs about 2 ounces!!!
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
Interesting. I must say, I am more then a little surprised a gas grille of that price point does not have ceramic coated cast iron grates. My $550.00 Weber does, along with high quality stainless burners that are still fine after 10 years.

What brand is yours?
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Interesting. I must say, I am more then a little surprised a gas grille of that price point does not have ceramic coated cast iron grates. My $550.00 Weber does, along with high quality stainless burners that are still fine after 10 years.

What brand is yours?

I don't know of any of the top end built in grill companies that do not use Stainless Steel for their grates. Seems like the ceramic/cast iron is in the mid-level Weber and a few others, but even the top end Webers switch to Stainless.

We have had, and destroyed, Charmglow, Dukane, Weber and Phoenix.

Currently we have an American Outdoor Grill and overall its been the best built in grill that I've owned.

Very similar (not exact ~ remember mine is about 10 yr old) to this one => http://www.bbqguys.com/item_name_Am...otiss_path_11448-13928-7983_item_2894478.html

Bear in mind that the SHELL of the grill is in virtually perfect condition save for some grime and weather. It is the insides of these grills that we destroy. This current grill has held up the best. This is the first valve that I've had to replace on this grill. On some of the others I had all sorts of issues. On EVERY brand we have had to typically replace the burner units every few years, under heavy use, they simply don't hold up. I consider burners a 'wear' item.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Probably too late to consider now but if I'm paying $20 in shipping, I'd have considered getting a few valves so I only pay shipping once. If one valve is on its way out, the others may be soon to follow.

Are those anti-flare plates like the tent ones that cheaper grills use? I just get the off-the-shelf stainless ones from Lowe's that adjust in size for all grills and pop those on.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
...
Are those anti-flare plates like the tent ones that cheaper grills use? I just get the off-the-shelf stainless ones from Lowe's that adjust in size for all grills and pop those on.
Pretty much the same thing. I'll check Lowe's to see if they have one that is compatible.

The valve came from one supplier (already ordered) but I was planning to buy the other stuff from another supplier (because they did not sell the valve too). But I'll be up at the Lowe's store no later than this weekend, so I can check next time I get up that way. The current ones are still sound, but just ugly from the grease flares. Not sure how/why, but the stainless anti-flare plates and stainless burners are rusted. I thought stainless was not supposed to rust like this??? Granted they are still structurally solid, but just coated in rust.
 

tiredretired

The Old Salt
SUPER Site Supporter
I don't know of any of the top end built in grill companies that do not use Stainless Steel for their grates. Seems like the ceramic/cast iron is in the mid-level Weber and a few others, but even the top end Webers switch to Stainless.

We have had, and destroyed, Charmglow, Dukane, Weber and Phoenix.

Currently we have an American Outdoor Grill and overall its been the best built in grill that I've owned.

Very similar (not exact ~ remember mine is about 10 yr old) to this one => http://www.bbqguys.com/item_name_Am...otiss_path_11448-13928-7983_item_2894478.html

Bear in mind that the SHELL of the grill is in virtually perfect condition save for some grime and weather. It is the insides of these grills that we destroy. This current grill has held up the best. This is the first valve that I've had to replace on this grill. On some of the others I had all sorts of issues. On EVERY brand we have had to typically replace the burner units every few years, under heavy use, they simply don't hold up. I consider burners a 'wear' item.

Hmmm, I love my weber and use it a lot, but I don't think I use it as much as you by the sounds of it.
 

squerly

Supported Ben Carson
GOLD Site Supporter
MD, I've never had a stainless outdoor BBQ last more than 5 years. YMMV but for whatever reason, mine go into self destruct mode at that time and systematically degrade into ruin. It doesn't seem to matter what quality I buy, if I use them regularly they die.

I got tired of the whole buy it, assemble it, use it and dispose of it routine and bought a Green Egg. It just keeps getting better with age. Obviously it's not gas but sacrificing speed for quality (both in flavor and longevity) was OK with me.

For full disclosure, at build time I installed a gas BBQ in my outdoor kitchen but I did it mostly to be used as a "warmer". In my quest for the perfect gas BBQ (combination of quality and value) I was appalled at what the inserts cost. I could buy a standalone for $350.00 or an insert for $1,500.00. WTF??? So I bought the standalone, took the sides and base off, and installed it in the same space designed for the insert. Works just fine, looks just fine, and if (when) the guts rot out I'll replace it with another one.
.
.
 

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Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
I have thought of doing something similar, my current grill is surrounded by flowers and it mounted on a post. Same grill can be mounted like you did. Just have so many other 'honey do' projects that building a box (mine would sit on dirt so it would be a bit more work) around the grill is just not high on the priority list.
 

waybomb

Well-known member
GOLD Site Supporter
In terms of the cost of the parts vs the total cost. .
There's about 600 pounds of stainless steel in mine. All formed, welded, ground, polished. Then there's design costs. And shipping a 600 pound grill. And the fact that most people don't spend more than 400 for a grill, the market is small. Mine is 5 years old now. I'll probably buy new plates next year. The 3/8" thick round stainless grilling surface will outlast me.
I'm happy with mine.

So did you buy that heat trace for the bathroom project? I think you are just touchy right now because of that project. ......
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
...

So did you buy that heat trace for the bathroom project? I think you are just touchy right now because of that project. ......

NO :hammer:

We (meaning I drove, she picked) did pick out granite counter tops yesterday. Of course its one of the most expensive varieties of granite they had :doh:

Still waiting to hear back on the cabinets. Will be ordering tile this weekend. Its all picked out. Just need to go to place the order.
 
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